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Ovarian cancer

How do doctors diagnose ovarian cancer?

If you're worried you might have ovarian cancer, see your doctor. Diagnosing ovarian cancer early gives you the best chance for a cure.

Ovarian cancer is quite rare, so your doctor may not think of it as the reason for your symptoms right away. Be sure to tell your doctor if someone in your family has had this cancer because that can increase your risk.

To find out if you could have ovarian cancer, your doctor might do some or all of the following.

Ask about your symptoms, your past illnesses and operations, and your family's health.
Do a physical exam, including listening to your lungs and feeling your abdomen.
Do a pelvic exam. This is an exam of your vaginal area. After looking at the outside, the doctor will insert a small piece of plastic or metal into your vagina to look at the inside. Then he or she will check that your

fallopian tubes
Fallopian tubes are the two tubes that come out of the top of a woman's womb. They carry eggs from the ovaries to the womb.

fallopian tubes, womb and

ovaries
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of their womb. They are small glands that store eggs. Inside the ovaries are millions of pre-eggs, called follicles. Some of these grow into eggs.

ovaries feel normal.
Do an ultrasound scan to see the organs inside your abdomen and

pelvis
Your pelvis is the area between your hips.

pelvis.
Do a rectal exam. During this exam, your doctor puts a finger into your

rectum
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).

rectum to feel for anything unusual in your pelvis.
Do a blood test to see how much CA 125 you have. CA 125 is a protein in your blood. Women with ovarian cancer tend to have lots of it. So if you have high levels of CA 125, it could mean that you have early ovarian cancer. But other things can give you a high level, too.
If you have a build-up of fluid in your abdomen or chest, your doctor may take some of this fluid and test it for cancer. Fluid can build up in these areas if cancer cells spread to the lining of your abdomen or chest. The lining becomes damaged and makes fluid to try to soothe it. Before collecting some of the fluid, your doctor will give you a painkiller to numb the area (a

local anesthetic
Local anesthetic is a painkiller for one area of your body. You usually get it as a shot. It makes that area numb. An example is the novocaine you get when your dentist fills a cavity.

local anesthetic). Then your doctor will use a small needle to collect fluid. Later, this will be checked under a microscope for cancer.

Your doctor probably won't be able to say for sure if you have ovarian cancer after these tests. The only way to tell for sure is to do an operation and look at your ovaries. So if your doctor thinks you could have ovarian cancer, you will need to have surgery. To learn more, see Surgery to check for ovarian cancer.

This information was last updated on May 12, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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